Martha Stewart Banana Cupcakes with Honey-Cinnamon Frosting

Martha Stewart banana cupcakes with honey-cinnamon frosting are an easy dessert made with ripe bananas, melted butter and a swirl of honey-cinnamon frosting, ready in 40 minutes. They're an easy dessert for bake sales, potlucks or family dinners, and they come together in one bowl like a banana bread cupcake.

Stir the wet ingredients into the flour just until you no longer see dry streaks, because that keeps the crumb soft. Beat it any longer and the cupcakes bake up tough and dense instead of tender.

Martha mashes the bananas straight into the batter and uses melted butter, so there is no creaming and no mixer to wash. Her cupcakes taste like banana bread, and a fresh banana slice goes on each one right before serving.

Martha Stewart Banana Cupcakes with Honey-Cinnamon Frosting

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Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

270

kcal

A tender, moist banana crumb sits under a swirl of sweet honey-cinnamon frosting. Whisking the dry ingredients first and folding in the wet ones gently keeps the cupcakes soft.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
  

• 3/4 cup sugar
  

• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  

• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas), plus 1 whole banana, for garnish (optional)
  

• 2 large eggs
  

• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  

• Honey-Cinnamon Frosting
  

Directions

• Preheat and prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Then line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, which you don't need to grease.
• Whisk the dry ingredients: Whisk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Spoon and level the flour first so the cupcakes don't turn out dry.
• Mix the wet ingredients: Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas, 2 large eggs and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, then stir just until the flour is incorporated, since overmixing makes them tough.
• Fill the muffin cups: Spoon the batter evenly into the 12 liners. Fill each one about the same so they bake at the same pace.
• Bake the cupcakes: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Check at 25 minutes, and they're done once a toothpick in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
• Cool completely: Take the cupcakes out of the pan and set them on a wire rack. Let them cool all the way, because warm cupcakes will melt the frosting.
• Frost and garnish: Spread the honey-cinnamon frosting over the tops. Just before serving, peel and slice 1 whole banana into rounds and place one on each cupcake if you like.

Tools for this recipe

• USA Pan 12-cup muffin pan (set of 2), Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use frozen bananas for these cupcakes?

Yes, frozen bananas work well here. Peel them before freezing, then thaw them in the freezer bag for a couple of hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge. Drain off the liquid that collects, then mash them.

How do I store leftover banana cupcakes?

Keep frosted leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Take the banana slice off the top before storing, since it browns and turns mushy.

Can I make these banana cupcakes ahead of time?

You can bake the cupcakes a day ahead, cool them fully and keep them airtight at room temperature. The frosting can also be made a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge. Frost within a few hours of serving and add the banana slices last.

Do I need to grease the cupcake liners?

No, paper, parchment and silicone liners all work without any grease. You don't need to grease the muffin cups under them either, because the liners stop the cupcakes from sticking.

What is the most common mistake with banana cupcakes?

Overmixing the batter is the biggest one, because it makes the cupcakes dense and tough. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry just until combined, and use very ripe bananas, since the riper they are, the sweeter and more banana-flavored the cupcakes taste.